Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy  

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

I currently own four Mk3S.  I had five but gave one away when the MK4 was released.  I order one Mk4  and one MK4 upgrade.  Two of my printers use Bontech-style extruders, and I am unsure if I will upgrade them.  They work so well.  I might go to the Mk3.5 if Bondtech produces firmware upgrades.  

I will inform you about the upgrades and the kits when I get mine (19th or so).  In the past, they have been worth the effort.  

Posted by: @vhubbard

I was disappointed also that the full upgrade cost so much.  I understand why.  70% of the printer has been changed.  Giving 3 levels of upgrade vs. 1 gives us options.  

The changes in the MK4 are so many that there is little left of the MK3S+ when doing a full upgrade.    Prusa did what customers asked in providing a "full" upgrade, except for the frame.    Adding the frame to the cost may have been prohibitive in the end.   Is it really that critical?    I had ordered the full upgrade, but I looked at it again today and changed my MK3S+ MK4  full upgrade to a complete MK4 kit.  Why?

• I will have 2 printers when done.  Not 1.   Is an MK3s+ worth $220?   I think so.  It is still a very good 3D printer.   I can't find one close to that price on the used market in my area. My son and Grandkids would love to have it. 
• I  reviewed the MK4 build instructions to estimate the work involved in the upgrade.  I still have to go through 95% of the kit build to do an upgrade.
• I wont have to print out the  parts.   The upgrade kit requires you to print your own parts.  

If the MK4 and nextruder do 100% clean breaks on all materials, I may not need the Multi Head XL for  year or two.   

The schedule slips and wait have made me anxious and a little grumpy also.  I have 40+ years in manufacturing and know quality is worth a wait.  Once I have the MK4, that will all go away and hopefully be replaced with a big smile.  Until then my MK3s+ is working just fine for single color prints.  

 

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

Actually new mk3s+ are shipped with the new frame. So the mk4 upgrade is a full upgrade for theese.

Casted aluminium is made from scraped aluminium. The old frame was cut from aluminium sheets/plates. Aluminium plates (and rolls) are the way new aluminium is delivered as raw material international. So it is very effected on disturbance in international supply chains.

Casted aluminium is made from scaped aluminium, which is sort of "waste" you get when manufacturing something from the raw materials. Also of course there is recycling stuff. So you get the material more localy, not as much dependend on international supply chains.

Thats the only reason Prusa changed the frame. And thats the reason actual delivered mk3s+ also use the new frame.

So the new frame is not an upgrade. It is just a substitude. A "sidegrade". While it looks cooler, mechanical it does not realy matter. Also a bit of a downgrade: All those hexagons collect dust much more easy, and it is a hell to clean it. Actually you might consider to change the frame to the old style on an original mk4 just for that reason and call that an upgrade...

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

I'm looking at my MK3 and MK4 side by side.  The frames of both are the same overall thickness.  The hexagonal recesses on the MK4 only lessen the weight.  So it looks to me like they are the same stiffness, but uses less material to make.

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

I got my MK4 kit assembled and running.  I transfered my XL purchase so it was not a long wait for the kit.   I noted what I thought all the changes were.    I may still upgrade my MK3S+ to MK3.5 for new electronics.    

RE:

Posted by: @vhubbard

   Once I have the MK4, that will all go away and hopefully be replaced with a big smile.  Until then my MK3s+ is working just fine for single color prints.  

 

I got the MK4, put it together and have been happily running it for a few weeks now.   I think the changes are so impressive, that I have ordered the full MK4 upgrade for my MK3S+.   I think it is worth it.  That will go to my son when done.   This should enable him to be off and running quickly with home 3D printing. 

See my MK4 and MMU3 notes that try to explain all the changes.   

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

Except one thing. If Americans get the MK4 kit, you will have to be assessed and pay the import duty. That's additional delay and more cost.

The full MK4 kit will be assigned the duty, but the upgrade will not. The additional delay, paperwork, and cost is why I changed my order from the MK4 kit to the upgrade.

If you think $799 is less than the $800 limit, think again. The shipping puts you over the limit.

Repeat, the price plus shipping is over the $800 limit, so you *will* be charged the import duty. Your shipment will be put in storage and delayed until you pay it.

I know this thread is old, but google might lead others here.

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

Many kit buyers have not been charged the import duties, so "will" is probably not the most accurate word for this. It is certainly a possibility, but even taking the import duties into account, if you can sell your Mk3 for more than ~$250, then buying the kit rather than an upgrade probably still makes the most sense. In the end you still end up with one upgraded printer.

-J

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

Canada you WILL be charged for it, the allowance is something like CAN $20, the $800 is only when YOU are entering Canada and the goods you carry with you, postage items dont count.

RE: Mk3 to Mk4 its not a full upgrade. Not happy

Depending on the country and what you are import  the rules change for the import fees.

Some shipping companies have FAQ links that sometimes help determine the amount.

RE:

tdk408 I didn't experience that. I got the MK4 kit.